Breath tester



8, 1950 R. M. GLIDDEN 2,517,657

BREATH TESTER Filed Sept. 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ROBE QT M. GLIDDEN ATT RIjEY A 1950 R. M. GLIDDEN 2,517,657

BREATH TESTER Filed Sept. 10, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ROBEs T M. GLI DDE N AT ORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BREATHTESTER Robert M. Glidden, Haddonfield, N. J. Application September 10, 1948, Serial No. 48,640

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for testing the, odor of ones breath, and in particular it relates to an article which is a combination of a package for containing a tube or bottle of dentifrice for sale or display purposes, and a breath-i tester.

It isa well-known fact that sometimes the-odor of ones breathis repugnant to others. However, since the subject is a socially delicate one to mostpersons, a person having halitosis is not often warned of his condition by his or her associates, and consequently instead may be avoided by other persons.

This leads to the need of some simple and inexpensive device with which a person can test the odor of his breath, and it is the purpose of this invention to provide such a device.

Among the objects, therefore, of this invention may be noted the provision of a simple and economical article for testing ones breath; the provision of a packaging unit for containing a tube, bottle or can of dentifrice, which has combined therewith another part so that the combination, after the removal of said tube, bottle or can becomes the breath-tester; the provision of a simple breath-tester and packaging unit which may readily be made in several sizes so as to accommodate various sizes of dentifrice containers for sale or display purposes; and the provisionof an article of the character described, the component parts of which may be readily assembled or disassembled so as to facilitate the packaging thereby of a dentifrice container and the removal of the container therefrom. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown several embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the simplest form of the invention, showing the component parts disassembled prior to assembly and use;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the embodiment of Figure 1, showing the parts in their assembled position;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the Figure 1 embodiment used as a Dackagingunit;

Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3; Figure .5 is a perspective view of another bodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is an end view of the embodiment of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional elevation of the embodiment of Figure 5 showing the latter in 2 closed position and containing a tube of dentifrice;

Figure 8 is a perspective View showing the application of the invention in a manner different from the previous embodiments; and

Figure 9 is an embodiment similar to the embodiment of Figure l, but differing in one respect.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several drawings.

l and adapted to slide therein as shown in Figure 2, in telescopic fashion. Tube 4 has its end 5 open, and its end 6 partially closed to provide orifice 1 therein, thearea of orifice 1 being, of course, less than the area of end 6. Tube 4 should preferably have the characteristics as to odors as specified above for tube I. (For purposes of clarity, in this specification and in the appended claims, ends 2 and 5 are hereinafter referred to as inner ends and ends 3 and B are referred to as outer ends.)

The telescopic fit of tube t into tube I 'is a snug but sliding one, so that when tube 4 is pushed all the way into tube I, air will be expelled from the interior of the tubes through orifice l; and when tube 4 is pulled outwardly from tube I, air will be sucked into the interior of the tubes through orifice 1.

To use the device to test the odor of ones breath, tube 4 is pushed all the wayinto tube I, outer end 5 is placed between the lips of the user, and while it is held there, tube I is drawn outwardly. This sucks air from the user's mouth through opening I and into the interior ofthe' tubes. Then orifice l is placed adjacent the nostrils of the user and the tubes are pushed together. The air in the tubes is expelled through orifice l, and the user can readily smell any unpleasant odors in his own breath.

The invention has a very practical aspect economically, in connection with the display and sale of various forms of dentifrices, for example, tooth paste, tooth powder, mouth washes, gargles, etc. This maybe seen by referring to Figure 3 Where is shown the use of the Figure 1 embodiment as a packaging means for a container of dentifrice.

' The illustration shows a cross-section of an assembled package unit, in which tubes l and 4 are shown pushed together and enclosing a container 8 of dentifrice, in this instance a tube of tooth paste. The tubes are held together in this position by a strip of gummed tape 9 which preferably is of the pressure-sensitive type which may readily be pulled off by the user in order to take the tubes apart to remove container 6. Tape 9 is preferably wide enough to cover the orifice and thus prevent the entering of dust and dirt while the assembly is stored prior to sale or use.

Figures 5, 6 and '7 show another embodiment of the invention. Tubular box it is a carton in which is customarily packaged the tube or bottle or can of dentifrice. In this example, the denti frice is again shown as a tube of tooth paste 8. Box I is again a tube, in this instance shown as rectangular in cross-section, and is provided with inner end flaps ll, 52, and I3 which are customarily provided for folding over to seal the end of the box. The outer end M of box it is closed in substantially air-tight condition in any of the well-known methods now used for such cartons. As customarily supplied to the trade, box H3 may be made of cardboard or some other suitable material, and the remarks regarding the absorption and giving off of odors, directed to tubes and 4 above, apply with equal force here, and to box libelow.

"Slidably but snugly fitting into tubular box W in telescopic fashion is a second tubular box IE, having its inner end open, and its outer end ['1 partially closed to provide orifice is, substantially asdescribed in the Fig. l embodiment. Box [5 may also be made of cardboard or some other suitable material, the material of both boxes being stiff enough to prevent collapse of the walls thereof under the air pressure exerted thereon when the boxes are pulled outwardly in relation to each other. As hitherto described, if box IE is pulled outwardly from box it (the tube 9 etc. of dentifrice having first been removed) air will be sucked into'the interior of the boxes and this air will be expelled through orifice [8 if the boxes are telescoped together.

The purchaser of the dentifrice would buy a unit assembly comprising, as shown in cross section in Figure '7, the outer or display box it, the inner box l5, and the dentifrice 9, all packaged together as shown. The user would then open one end of box ill, remove the inner box l5, and remove dentifrice 3. He would then re-insert box l5 into box Ill in the proper manner, and could then test his breath as described above for the Fig. 1 embodiment.

There is shown in Figure 8 an embodiment showing the adaptation of the invention in a different manner than described above. In this in stance, a bottle or can of dentifrice I9 is shown having slidably fitted over the bottom portion thereof a cylinder 20 having its end 2| closed except for the opening 22. Cylinder 2B is dimensioned to slide on bottle or can l9 smoothly and snugly. When cylinder 20 is pushed fully onto bottle l9, air will be expelled from within the cyl inder through opening 22, and when cylinder 20 is drawn outwardly from bottle 19, air will be sucked into the interior of the cylinder through the said opening, the bottom 23 of bottle or can [9 acting as a piston for that purpose. The manner of use of this embodiment follows the manner of use described for the previous embodiments.

It is within the scope of this invention to have orifice l of the Fig. 1 embodiment in the outer end 3 of the outer tube l, with outer end B of inner tube 4 being completely closed. Similarly, as to the Fig. 5 embodiment, the orifice l8 could be provided (if desired) in one of the ends of the outer box In, and end i! of box IE could be closed. In the latter case, properly aligning orifice holes would be provided in the foldable flaps H, H and I3.

If desired, the said orifices may be provided in the side 'walls of the respective tubes of all the embodiments shown, rather than in the ends. As an example of this, there is shown in Figure 9 an embodiment similar in all respects to the Fig. 1 embodiment, except that the said orifice I is placed in the side wall of tube l-adajcent the end, and end 6 is completely closed. Similar construction may be used, if desired, in respect to the Fig. 5 embodiment. Furthermore, instead of only one orifice being provided, several small orifices may be provided if desired, either in ends 6 and H or in the side walls adjacent the ends. The sum of the areas of these several orifices, must, however, be small'enough to get the required sucking and pumping action.

It is to be realized that the principle of this invention is applicable to many different shapes and sizes of boxes and tubes. For illustration herein, the tubes and boxes are shown as being long compared with their cross-sectional dimensions. However, even if the boxes were short as compared to their cross-sections, the invention would still work provided the slidable boxes can be displaced relative to one another in telescopic relation sufficiently to get the required suctioning and pumping action described above.

Where the word tube is used throughout the specification and in the appended claims, there is meant a hollow tubular container which may be of diiferent shapes, such as round, square, or polygonal, in cross-sectional shape.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for testing the odor of ones breath comprising two tubes telescoping one within the other, the outer end of one of said tubes being substantially closed, and the outer end of the other tube being only partially closed so as to leave an opening at that end less in crosssectional area than the cross-sectional area of said tube, whereby air is sucked into said tubes through said opening when the tubes are pulled outwardly in relation to each other, and is expelled from within the tubes through said opening when the tubes are pushed together. i

2. Apparatus for testing the odor of ones breath comprising two tubes telescoping one within the other, the outer ends of the tubes being substantially closed, and an opening in the wall of one of said tubes near the outer end thereof, whereby air is sucked into said tubes through said opening when the tubes are pulled outwardly in relation to each other and is expelled from within the tubes through said opening when the tubes are pushed together.

3. The combination of a tubular carton for a container of dentifrice and the like, and a second tube inserted in said carton in sliding telescopic fit therewith, said carton having one end adapted to be opened for removal of the container of dentifrice and its other end closed substantially air-tightly, said second tube being open at one end and partially closed at its other end to provide an orifice therein, whereby, when said second tube is drawn outwardly in relation to said tubular carton, air will be sucked into the interior of said carton and tube through said orifice, and expelled through said orifice when said tube and carton are pushed together.

4. A packaging assembly for a container of dentifrice and the like comprising in combination a first tube and a second tube slidably fitting therein in telescopic fit therewith, said first tube having at least one of its ends provided with flaps which may be folded over to hold the dentifrice container and said second tube therein, said second tube being open at its inner end and partially closed at its outer end to provide an orifice therein, whereby, when said first and second tubes are pulled outwardly in relation to each other, air is sucked into the interior of said tubes through said orifice, and when said tubes are pushed together, air is expelled from within said tubes through said orifice.

5. A packaging assembly for a container of dentifrice and the like comprising in combination an outer tube provided with flaps at each end adapted to be folded over in order to close the ends of said tube, and an inner tube contained in said outer tube in slidable telescopic fit therewith, said inner tube being of such length as to be completely enclosed in said outer tube when said fiaps are folded over, and having one of its ends open and the other of its ends partially closed so as to provide an orifice at said lastnamed end.

6. In combination, a container for dentifrice and the like and a tubular cap fitting over one end of said container, said cap having suflicient wall length to permit the sliding of the cap back and forth along the container in telescopic manner, and said cap being partially closed at its outer end to provide an orifice therein, whereby when said cap is pulled outwardly from said container, air is sucked through said orifice and into the interior of said cap, and when the cap is pushed onto the container, air is expelled outwardly through said orifice from within the interior of said cap.

'7. A tubular element adapted to fit slidably over the end of a container for dentifrice, comprising a tube having one end open and the other end partially closed to provide an orifice therein, whereby air may pass through said orifice from one side of said partially closed end to the other side. i

8. Apparatus for testing the odor of ones breath comprising a tube open at one end, and closed at the other end in such a manner as to leave an orifice opening into the tube at said other end, and means guided by said tube and cooperating in sliding telescopic relation thereto for sucking air into said tube from the users mouth through said orifice upon motion of said means away from said other end, and for expelling said air through said orifice upon motion of said means toward said other end.

ROBERT M. GLIDDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,009,355 Decker July 23, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 298,224 Germany Dec. 12, 1918 

